Pencil label



W. STAN EK PENCIL LABEL Oct. 9, 1556 Filed Oct. 23, 1953 Jwmra PENCIL LABEL Walter Stanek, Schwabach, Germany, assiguor to A. W. Faber-Castell, Stein, near Nurnberg, Germany, a firm Application October 23, 1953, Serial No. 388,011 Claims priority, application Germany October 25, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 40-2) This invention relates to a writing, drawing or calculating instrument made of a synthetic material that can be molded or sprayed, and provided with markings, for instance an inscription, or else with a supplementary surface to be inserted by the user. Hitherto it has been usual, in the case of writing or drawing pencils, fountain pens, rulers, slide rules and the like, to apply the markings by means of colored foil or colored varnish, or by so-called blind-spraying with recessed relief. When a colored foil is employed there is the disadvantage that the colored coating does not adhere strongly enough. Applied varnish has the disadvantage that it is liable to flake ofi, particularly if the writing or drawing instrument falls on the floor for example. Moreover when arranging a number of instruments in layers, for instance when filling cases, or even when inserting an instrument in a sheath, as is usual with slide rules or rulers, the varnish may be rubbed off. Furthermore since it is frequently necessary to wash such instruments, more particularly rulers, when they have been soiled by being used with Indian ink or other ink, markings which merely adhere to the surface of the instrument cannot permanently serve their purpose, as the colored varnish thereon may be washed off or may become pale. If the indications, on writing or drawing pencils, of the hardness of the lead, become illegible, confusion will occur between the different pencils.

Markings produced by the so-called blind-spraying also exhibit the defects already indicated. They also have the disadvantage that their contours are not delimited clearly enough, and that written characters are consequently difficult to read.

All these defects are obviated by the present invention. It starts from the custom of applying varnish or dye for markings, more particularly for inscriptions.

According to the invention, in the case of the instruments hereinbefore enumerated, the markings, such as individual inscription panels, letters or the like, and, it may be, the inscription surface, are provided as separately prepared elements of synthetic material, sprayed for example, and are secured in the body of the instrument by injecting or molding in. According to a further development of the invention, visible parts of the marking which are locally separated from one another, for instance a plurality of written characters such as those that indicate the hardness of the lead or the name of the manufacturers, are connected by one or more bridge elements. These bridge elements are not at the same level as the visible parts of the marking, but they connect the visible parts of the marking on the instrument only on the inside. A visible part of the marking may also appear as a surface within which signs of another colour, for instance letters, numerals or the like, are arranged, which may advantageously be of the same colour as the instrument.

On hexagonal lead-pencils, which frequently bear inscriptions on all six of their sides, the ends of the supporting bridge elements may advantageously be connected with one another, either at one end or at both ends, by holding rings, in which case the holding ring located at the end of the pencil may be constructed as a closure cap or closure ring. Letters, holding rings and closure cap, together with an inscription surface, on the one hand, and the supporting bridge elements on the other hand, form a separate spray-cast body, which is sprayed into a mold of its own. In a second operation the actual instrument body, for instance a pencil body, is then molded or sprayed around and upon this small sprayed body.

In the finished article, on the external surfaces thereof, the parts of the marking body, other than the bridge elements, are visible, and are in general of a colour different from that of the instrument itself. The holding bridge elements of the marking body, however, being located at a lower level, are covered by the opaque material of the instrument body, and therefore remain invisible.

Various forms of construction of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows the rear end of a writing pencil made of synthetic material, marked with its degree of hardness, in perspective;

Figure 2 shows another construction of the inscription of a writing pencil of synthetic material;

Figure 3 shows a construction with a plurality of bridge ring elements;

Figure 4 shows a drawing pencil with a writing surface;

Figure 5 shows a piece of a ruler in perspective;

Figure 6 shows a set square; and

Figure 7 shows the end portion of a slide rule in perspective;

In Figures 1 to 4, 1 is the rear end of.the sheath of a hexagonal writing pencil of synthetic material. In Figure 1, 2 is the marking denoting the degree of hardness, which is in a color different from that of the pencil. The letters of the hardness designation 2 are connected with one another by one or more bridge elements 3. These are represented in the drawings by dotted lines, since they are located beneath the surface of the pencil, and are therefore invisible. The inscription may be flush with the surface of the pencil sheath, or it may be slightly raised or recessed. Since the inscription consists throughout of solid material of a uniform color it may be located somewhat above the surface of the sheath without any risk of it being impaired or rendered illegible by being rubbed off or washed off. The holding ring at the end of the pencil sheath 1 carries the bridge elements 3 and is constructed as a closure cap 5. In Figure 3 the bridge elements 3 are also connected with a ring 7. The color of the rings or closure cap and of the letters is different from that of the pencil. The color of the letters may however in some instances be the same as that of the instrument. Thus Figure 2 for example shows a construction in which the hardness designation, here H B, is provided upon an approximately oval panel 6, the color of which is difierent from that of the script. Here the oval background 6 and the covering cap 5, together with the bridge elements 3, form a rigid spray-cast body, white, for example, the letters 2, green for example, being originally left hollow on this background 6, to be subsequently sprayed in when spraying the sheath, which is likewise green. Here again the bridge element or elements 3 are invisible, owing to the material of the sheath body being sprayed or molded around it.

In Figure 3 a firm name 22 is provided. The bridge elements that connect the letters thereof are held at both ends by rings 7. In other respects the construction is the same as that of Figure 1.

In Figure 4, 1 is again the end of the sheath of a hexagonal writing pencil. 8 is a surface upon which the owner can write his name for example, and which here likewise forms, with the bridge elements and the closure cap 5, a spray-cast body. The inscription area is preferably of a bright color, and rough.

In the case of the ruler 9 of Figure 5, the name panel 8 and the holding elements 3 are held at both ends by inserted pieces 7.

In the set square of Figure 6, the frame 10 carries the bridge elements 3 and the distinguishing marks.

With the slide rule 11 of Figure 7, the features 12 and 13 are arranged at the end of the scale surfaces. They are held by bars 7" through the medium of bridge elements 3.

In the instruments shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the special sprayed or molded mark body is sprayed round or molded round, in the same manner as has already been described, through the body of the instrument.

What I claim is:

1. A writing pencil comprising a sheath of deformable synthetic material, identification indicia embedded in the surface of the deformable sheath, bridge elements on the under surface of the indicia, the bridge elements being covered adjacent to the identification indicia by the syneral bridgeelements are arranged in juxtaposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,023 Husted June 29, 1937 2,288,187 Gits'et al June 30, 1942 2,367,800 Rakas Jan. 23, 1945 2,528,385 Moru Oct. 3], 1950 2,584,841 Caprez Feb. 5, 1952 2,586,978 Murray Feb. 26, 1952 2,720,681 Danielson et al Oct. 18, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,070,202 France Jan. 30, 1953 

